Night World Players

Chapter 280 The First and Last Night World

The Secret Ritual Tower, on the outskirts of the capital city.

Five o'clock in the morning is the darkest hour before dawn.

The entire night sky was deathly silent, with no starlight visible, except for a faint glimmer of dawn at the horizon.

When Hiltina and Rast entered the Mystic Tower, they discovered that Amys was already waiting there.

In the thin twilight, she sat quietly on a bench in the entrance hall of the Mystic Tower, her hands clasped together. The night breeze blew through her pale golden hair, making her look like a figurine of a girl from an anime.

Occasionally, the faint light from the monitoring array inside the Ritual Tower would sweep across, but it seemed to ignore the presence of Amys.

This is a self-evident fact.

As perhaps the most important facility in the entire empire and Star University, the security level of the Mystic Tower is unimaginably high. Under the joint monitoring of numerous high-level mechanical and magical restrictions, even legendary powerhouses would never be able to sneak into it undetected.

However, all these restrictions have no effect on a true angel.

As the mechanical angel who holds the power of judgment and once stirred up a mechanical riot throughout the Western Continent, ordinary mechanical restrictions are nothing more than playthings that Amys can destroy with a single thought.

Amise waited quietly, motionless, as if unaware of the passage of time.

It wasn't until the arrival of Last and Hiltina that her mechanically indifferent face regained its liveliness and gained a touch of vitality.

"It seems I really was overthinking things."

"Even if I had really drugged you with sleeping pills just now, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get past Xiao Ai to achieve my goal."

Upon seeing Amys's appearance, Hiltina couldn't help but tease her.

"Your Majesty, could you please not make it sound like you drugged and raped me?"

"Xiao Ai's eyes are practically murderous as she looks at me."

Last sighed, ignoring the cold gaze from the pair of sky-blue eyes beside him, and grabbed Amys's hand.

"Anyway, Xiao Ai, this matter is just as I told you in the text message."

"To conquer the Echoes of the End and completely clear the Night World... This is not only Hiltina's mission, but also my own heartfelt wish."

"Whether it's the childhood ideal of becoming a 'Partner of Justice,' the duty of being the last Guardian, or rescuing Grey from her exile at the edge of the starry sea... these are all things I must do."

He gazed at Amys and spoke earnestly, word by word.

"To be frank, the affairs of the Night World have nothing to do with you, Xiao Ai. You are not a Night Traveler, nor are you even a resident of this era... You have no obligation to participate in the Night World strategy."

"Moreover, the danger of this final night world is beyond imagination. Two legends have already fallen in it, and we know nothing about anything in the night world."

"Even though we have both been promoted to angels, this is still a journey where we risk our lives."

Last said softly:
"Even so, I still want to use your strength, Xiao Ai, and I want you to be with me."

"No one knows how long we will spend in the Night World this time."

"This is my own selfish reason... We've been through so much to finally reunite, so even this time, I don't want to be separated from you, Xiao Ai."

Listening to Rust's rather serious statement, Amys's originally somewhat cold gaze quickly calmed down, returning to its usual gentleness.

After a long while, she looked at the boy in front of her and suddenly smiled.

“I’m so happy, Rust.”

"This time, at least you didn't suggest leaving me behind to fight alone. If you tried to abandon me like last time, I'd really be angry."

"As for my choice... didn't you already understand it from the beginning?"

Amise blinked and gripped Rust's hand tightly as well.

As an artificial mechanical angel, Amys's hands still retain the mechanical, silvery-white metallic features, and she always wears white gloves to conceal this from outsiders.

But what was being transmitted through the white gloves at this moment was not mechanical, but a human warmth that was burning hot.

"Raster, you are the meaning of my life since the destruction of Canaan, proof that I am still alive, and my hope for tomorrow."

"I chose to accept the artificial angel project proposed by Sister Grey so that I could meet you again in the future. That's why I survived the erosion and corruption that spanned thousands of years and came to this era that is completely unfamiliar to me."

"So whatever decision you make, whatever path you take—whether right or wrong, even if you fall into the abyss... I will always be by your side."

"not to mention……"

Amys paused slightly, and her previously serious tone changed.

"I've heard that time flows differently in the night world than in the real world, right?"

“There are often situations where months or even years have passed in the night world, but in reality it is only a fleeting moment.”

"If only you and Miss Hiltina go in, leaving me outside, and then decades pass by—wouldn't you be taking care of your children in the Night World...?"

"Hmm... Anyway, I'm also part of this Night World strategy. In any case, Grey is my savior, and even if you hadn't said anything, I couldn't just let Grey wander in the deepest part of the starry sea!"

……

"Cough cough."

Perhaps sensing her rather delicate position, Hiltina coughed twice, breaking the silence in the Mystic Tower.

"In short, everything has been resolved."

"Then, we can set off now."

She looked at Last: "By the way, you seem to have a pretty good relationship with Professor Barbarossa. Should we say goodbye to him one last time?"

"no need."

Last shook his head and looked toward the dark upper passage of the Mystic Tower.

Because of their angelic status, the arrival of the three of them did not trigger any restrictions on the Mystic Tower, nor did it disturb Professor Barbarossa, who was guarding the Mystic Tower.

The specific timing of this Night World raid was kept secret from both Rust and Hiltina; even Dean Silver and Ophelia were unaware of it.

"The professor is sleeping soundly right now, so we won't disturb him."

"Moreover, in my opinion, this has never been a tearful farewell."

"The Night World was cleared in the time it takes to sleep. This must be quite a surprise for Professor Barbarossa and Dean Silver."

"It was more of a shock than a surprise."

Hiltina smiled and added, "Once the Night World is cleared, it means that all the teachers and students of Starry University who aim to conquer the Night World will be completely unemployed."

"I woke up and suddenly realized that my secure job, which I've had for hundreds of years, was gone. I really wonder what kind of expression Dean Yin would have at that time. Just thinking about it makes me laugh."

"Yeah, so I want to see Dean Yin's expression when he gets fired as soon as possible..."

"Let's get this last hurdle sorted out quickly, and then come back to complete the wedding ceremony after the toasting ceremony."

As Hiltina spoke, she gently touched the bronze stele at the center of the Mystic Tower with her hand.

Immediately, a faint darkness of night quietly appeared in the central hall of the Mystic Tower, enveloping Hiltina's entire body like silk.

Seeing this, after exchanging a silent glance, Rust and Amys also reached out and touched the ancient stone tablet. [WARNING! This Echoes of History is the final instance of the Night World. Please enter only after you are fully prepared.]

[WARNING! All time-space reversals, causal relationships, resurrection, and emergency escape items in this night world will be sealed, making it impossible to forcibly escape using any item.]

[WARNING! All time reversal, causality, and rebirth abilities will be ineffective within this instance.]

Blood-red text suddenly flashed in the night, a prompt that Last had never seen before when he entered the Night World.

[Night Traveler "Guardian" - Please confirm if you wish to enter this instance.]

"As expected of the Night World at the End, it really has the style of a final boss battle."

Last smiled slightly, his mind racing as he touched the confirmation option.

The next moment.

The sudden surge of night, far denser than before, engulfed the three people in the Mystic Tower, along with the entire world.

……

When Rast regained consciousness, the metallic landscape of the Mystic Tower had vanished.

Instead, a desolate landscape emerged.

He seemed to be standing beside a cliff face, with a clear blue sky in front of him and an endless red wasteland beneath the sky.

This is the landscape of the world in its original state, untouched by the imprint of technological civilization.

In the far distance of the desolate land, one can see the enormous figure of a demonic wolf, as massive as a mountain, covered in jet-black fur, swallowing all the light around it.

Above the azure sky, an ancient dragon can be seen slowly circling, its majestic membranous wings casting a huge shadow on the ground...

In the far sky, one can vaguely see the phoenix with wings as brilliant as the sun speeding by, leaving only a trail of scorching heat.

A desolate crimson land, ancient dragons, demon wolves, phoenixes...

Without a doubt, this is an era unique to mythical creatures.

Rast looked up and finally discovered traces of man-made caves deep in the desolate mountains. They were scattered in the crevices of different mythical creature territories, hidden extremely well.

Those are traces of human life.

Clearly, the human race also exists in this world... However, in this mythical era, humans, who later became the masters of the world, were merely insignificant supporting characters on the stage.

"Although I had already suspected it before..."

"But I knew it."

"Although it is the final night world, it symbolizes the original history."

Hiltina's voice rang out behind Rust.

She and Last stood side by side on the cliff, gazing together at the vast, boundless wilderness in the distance.

Hearing Hiltina's words, Last also nodded slightly.

As an angel, he is able to sense the passage of time and leave his mark in different eras.

Prior to this, relying on the echoes of the Night World's history, Rast had already left his mark in the Sixth Age.

However, at this moment, he could clearly perceive that his position in the river of time had reached a coordinate he had never set foot on before.

This is the very upper reaches of the river of time, the origin of the eternally flowing years, and the beginning of all myths, history, and civilization.

“Even older than the First Age.”

"Human history was formally recorded, but the spark of civilization had not yet been ignited; it was just beginning to sprout in its cradle... the earliest age of gods."

Last's soft words echoed across the wasteland.

"Similarly, this is also the era in which the nameless fool who created the 'Gravekeeper,' the 'Library of Fools,' and the 'Stone Tablet of Eternal Night' once lived as a human."

This is the very first, and also the very first, night world.

As if in response to Raste's soliloquy.

At that moment, Last heard the ancient echo reverberating in his mind.

[Mission Objective: In a world where fools never existed, create a new civilization called "Humanity"]

"To replace that original nameless fool and establish human civilization in this age of mythical creatures."

"And then, will we write a brand new chapter in human history?"

Hiltina spoke softly, gazing at the distant sky.

As an angel, she could perceive it with ease—

At the edge of the sky where the ancient dragon and the phoenix roamed, above the sea of ​​clouds, where the stars shone... there were many powerful auras, even stronger than her and Rust's.

Those are the true gods.

Unlike those in later generations who lingered on the threshold of the blazing heavens, completely in a semi-crippled state, and whose power could only descend upon the mortal world through believers as a medium, the weak, sick, and disabled were different.

The ancient gods active among the stars at this moment are genuine, at the height of their power.

This was the earliest, most primordial age of gods, before the First Age.

These gods who look down upon the mortal world from among the stars, and the mythical creatures who are their attendants, are the true masters of this era, above humankind.

"what happened?"

"The thought of replacing that nameless fool and leading weak humanity to rise in an era where mythical creatures roam the earth and gods look down upon the mortal world... makes me feel immense pressure?"

Hiltina crossed her arms and looked at Rust beside her teasingly.

"nothing--"

Last smiled. "I was just wondering what kind of expression that ferret would make when I go back and tell Dean Silver that I created a civilization."

Amys remained silent.

She simply stepped forward in silence and squeezed the boy's hand again.

Just as they made their vow in Canaan, this oath will not fail, whether in the technological world two hundred years later or in the age of gods where mythical creatures roam the earth.

She will stay with Rusty from birth to death.

"So, Hiltina, Ai, let's go."

"The world before us has only just been born."

Luster spoke softly.

Then, he took his first step towards the vast, boundless sky before him.

(End of this chapter)